Spa jet yielding increased air entrainment rates

Abstract

An improved spa nozzle that is capable of entraining high air flow rates from the surrounding environment, said nozzle of the type having a water input conduit of diameter D, a flow output conduit having entry and diameter of DID, a transition conduit having a diameter of ID and a length of PL, and an air entrainment conduit, and wherein the following ratios are defined to describe the relative geometry of the nozzle: α=PL/(DID−ID), β=DID/ID and γ=D/ID, the improvement comprising: the water input, transition and output conduits being configured such that α is in the range of 1.3-5 and β is>1.9.

1. An improved spa nozzle that is capable of entraining air from the surrounding environment, said nozzle of the type having a water input conduit which has a centerline and a characteristic cross-sectional area dimension D, a flow output conduit having a boundary wall and an entry characteristic cross-sectional area dimension of DID, a transition conduit having characteristic cross-sectional area and length dimensions of ID and PL and which has a centerline and which connects said input and output conduits, an air entrainment conduit and wherein the centerlines of said water input and transition conduits have an intersection angle of θ, and wherein the following ratios are herein defined to describe the relative geometry of said nozzle: α=PL/(DID −ID), β=DID/ID and γ=D/ID, said improvement comprising:
 said air entrainment conduit having an outlet port in said flow output conduit boundary wall, 
 said output and transition conduits being configured such that there is an abrupt increase in the respective sizes of their cross-sectional areas at said entry to said output conduit, 
 said input and transition conduits being configured so that said intersection angle θ has a value in the range of 90 degrees so as to create a sharp edge at the inside corner of said input and transition conduits' intersection, 
 said transition conduit having a relatively constant cross-sectional area at all points along said length of said transition conduit and 
 said air entrainment conduit being configured so that said outlet port is located at a point chosen from the group consisting of at or adjacent and downstream from said entry of said flow output conduit. 
 
     
     
       2. The spa nozzle as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said water input, transition and output conduits being configured such that α is in the range of 1.3-5 and γ is>1.9. 
 
     
     
       3. The spa nozzle as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fluidic oscillator configured to have a power nozzle and two outlet conduits downstream of said power nozzle and one or more control ports proximate said power nozzle and attached to said power nozzle so as to control the downstream flow of liquid through said power nozzle, and 
 wherein one of said outlet conduits being connected to said air entrainment conduit. 
 
     
     
       4. The spa nozzle as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a control port link that connects one of said oscillator control ports and said air entrainment conduit at a point upstream of said connection of said outlet with said air entrainment conduit, and 
 wherein said power nozzle having an exit that is configured to bias the flow from said power nozzle into said outlet that is not connected to said air entrainment conduit. 
 
     
     
       5. The spa nozzle as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a control valve in said connection link that is configured to regulate the air flow through said link. 
 
     
     
       6. The spa nozzle as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a second spa nozzle of the type having a water input conduit, a flow output conduit, a transition conduit and an air entrainment conduit, 
 a second fluidic oscillator configured to have a power nozzle and two outlet conduits downstream of said power nozzle and one or more control ports proximate said power nozzle and attached to said power nozzle so as to control the downstream flow of liquid through said power nozzle, 
 wherein one of said second fluidic oscillator outlet conduits being connected to said air entrainment conduit of said second spa nozzle, 
 wherein said first fluidic oscillator that regulates the air entrainment of said first spa nozzle is further configured such that its power nozzle has an exit that is configured to bias the flow from said power nozzle into said outlet that is connected to said air entrainment conduit of said first spa nozzle, 
 wherein said second fluidic oscillator that regulates the air entrainment of said second spa nozzle is further configured such that its power nozzle has an exit that is configured to bias the flow from said power nozzle into said outlet that is not connected to said air entrainment conduit of said second spa nozzle, 
 a first air entrainment feedback line that connects said first spa nozzle air entrainment conduit at a point upstream of said connection with said first oscillator outlet with said control port of said second oscillator that is proximate said outlet of said second oscillator that connects with said air entrainment conduit of said second spa nozzle, and 
 a second air entrainment feedback line that connects said second spa nozzle air entrainment conduit at a point upstream of said connection with said second oscillator outlet with said control port of said first oscillator that is proximate said outlet of said first oscillator that does not connect with said air entrainment conduit of said first spa nozzle. 
 
     
     
       7. The spa nozzle as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a solenoid valve having an air entrainment port and two air output ports, 
 a pair of links that connect each of said solenoid output ports to one of said fluidic oscillator control ports, and 
 a programmable microchip that is connected to said solenoid valve and controls the operation of said valve so as to regulate the air through said control ports of said oscillator. 
 
     
     
       8. A method for fabricating an improved spa nozzle that is capable of entraining air from the surrounding environment, said nozzle of the type having a water input conduit which has a centerline and a characteristic cross-sectional area dimension D, a flow output conduit having a boundary wall and an entry characteristic cross-sectional area dimension of DID, a transition conduit having characteristic cross-sectional area and length dimensions of ID and PL and which has a centerline and which connects said input and output conduits, an air entrainment conduit and wherein the centerlines of said water input and transition conduits have an intersection angle of θ, and wherein the following ratios are herein defined to describe the relative geometry of said nozzle: α=PL/(DID−ID), β=DID/ID and γ=D/ID, said method comprising the steps of:
 configuring said air entrainment conduit to have an outlet port in said flow output conduit boundary wall, 
 configuring said output and transition conduits such that there is an abrupt increase in the respective sizes of their cross-sectional areas at said entry to said output conduit, 
 configuring said input and transition conduits so that said intersection angle θ has a value in the range of 90 degrees so as to create a sharp edge at the inside corner of said input and transition conduits' intersection, 
 configuring said transition conduit so as to have a relatively constant cross-sectional area at all points along said length of said transition conduit and 
 configuring said air entrainment conduit so that said outlet port is located at a point chosen from the group consisting of at or adjacent and downstream from said entry of said flow output conduit. 
 
     
     
       9. The method for fabricating a spa nozzle as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 further configuring said water input, transition and output conduits such that a is in the range of 1.3-5 and β is>1.9. 
 
     
     
       10. The method for fabricating a spa nozzle as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring a fluidic oscillator to have a power nozzle and two outlet conduits downstream of said power nozzle and one or more control ports proximate said power nozzle and attached to said power nozzle so as to control the downstream flow of liquid through said power nozzle, and 
 wherein one of said outlet conduits being connected to said air entrainment conduit. 
 
     
     
       11. The method for fabricating a spa nozzle as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring a control port link to connects one of said oscillator control ports and said air entrainment conduit at a point upstream of said connection of said outlet with said air entrainment conduit, and 
 wherein said power nozzle having an exit that is configured to bias the flow from said power nozzle into said outlet that is not connected to said air entrainment conduit. 
 
     
     
       12. The method for fabricating a spa nozzle as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring a control valve for placement in said connection link to regulate the air flow through said link. 
 
     
     
       13. The method for fabricating a spa nozzle as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring a second spa nozzle of the type having a water input conduit, a flow output conduit, a transition conduit and an air entrainment conduit, 
 configuring a second fluidic oscillator to have a power nozzle and two outlet conduits downstream of said power nozzle and one or more control ports proximate said power nozzle and attached to said power nozzle so as to control the downstream flow of liquid through said power nozzle, 
 wherein one of said second fluidic oscillator outlet conduits being connected to said air entrainment conduit of said second spa nozzle, 
 wherein said first fluidic oscillator that regulates the air entrainment of said first spa nozzle is further configured such that its power nozzle has an exit that is configured to bias the flow from said power nozzle into said outlet that is connected to said air entrainment conduit of said first spa nozzle, 
 wherein said second fluidic oscillator that regulates the air entrainment of said second spa nozzle is further configured such that its power nozzle has an exit that is configured to bias the flow from said power nozzle into said outlet that is not connected to said air entrainment conduit of said second spa nozzle, 
 configuring a first air entrainment feedback line to connects said first spa nozzle air entrainment conduit at a point upstream of said connection with said first oscillator outlet with said control port of said second oscillator that is proximate said outlet of said second oscillator that connects with said air entrainment conduit of said second spa nozzle, and 
 configuring a second air entrainment feedback line to connects said second spa nozzle air entrainment conduit at a point upstream of said connection with said second oscillator outlet with said control port of said first oscillator that is proximate said outlet of said first oscillator that does not connect with said air entrainment conduit of said first spa nozzle. 
 
     
     
       14. The method for fabricating a spa nozzle as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of:
 configuring a solenoid valve to have an air entrainment port and two air output ports, 
 configuring a pair of links to connect each of said solenoid output ports to one of said fluidic oscillator control ports, and 
 configuring a programmable microchip to connect to said solenoid valve and controls the operation of said valve so as to regulate the air through said control ports of said oscillator. 
 
     
     
       15. An improved spa nozzle that is capable of entraining high air flow rates from the surrounding environment, said nozzle of the type having a water input conduit which has a centerline, a flow output conduit having a boundary wall, an entry and a cross-sectional area, a transition conduit having a centerline, a cross-sectional area and a length and which connects said input and output conduits, and an air entrainment conduit, said improvement comprising:
 said air entrainment conduit having an outlet port in said flow output conduit boundary wall 
 said output and transition conduits being configured such that there is an abrupt increase in the respective sizes of their cross-sectional areas at said entry to said output conduit, 
 said transition conduit having a relatively constant cross-sectional area at all points along its length, 
 said air entrainment conduit being configured so that said outlet port is located at a point chosen from the group consisting of at or adjacent and downstream from said entry of said flow output conduit, and 
 a means for generating a prescribed amount of vorticity in the water that flows through said nozzle at a point upstream of said entry to said output conduit, 
 wherein said prescribed amount of vorticity being sufficient to yield a high entrainment air flow rate.